1

Unpredictable:
If you've had vaginal births in the past or preterm births in the past, then the likelihood of early delivery is greater, but I have also had patients get up to 4cm and just stay that way for weeks, delivering ultimately at term. It is somewhat unpredictable, but with your cervix as it is, you should be closely followed by your OB. No steroids needed at this point. NICU care if born early.
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4

Depends:
First pregnancy?
Size of previous?
Length of labor?
What has been the progression?
And accuracy of your dates.
A number of important variables
but effacing and dilating are always toward the end!
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5

Hard to tell.:
I have seen many women contract like you for days and weeks before going into active labor and delivering. The good news is that you are highly likely to have a vaginal delivery; the bad news is that it is likely to be before term, even if after 34 weeks. Take it easy, stay off your feet, hydrate yourself, remain in close proximity to your maternity hospital and have a delivery bag packed!
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6

Effacement:
Effacement is a term that describes how thin your cervix feels. Your doctor will determine the effacement when he or she checks your cervix. 50% means that it is approximately halfway thinned out, which is more favorable for a vaginal delivery. Good luck!
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8

Time:
Much as we hate to admit it sometimes there is not much we can do outside of the hospital to hurry up labor. Once in the hospital the labour can be started, or hurried up by the actions of your OB doctor. Call the office and see if these methods might be appropriate for you.
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10

Anxious 4 labor:
Since we do not know completely what triggers natural labor to begin, it is difficult to give advice on how to quicken its appearance. Your cervix is very favorable for natural labor to begin soon but you can be dilated, as you are, for a number of weeks. Staying physically active is your best bet. Sexual activity makes the uterus contract but it doesn't seem too successful in starting labor.
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